Keep good track of your finances by minimising the amount of accounts and credit cards you have. This will ensure it’s easier to keep tabs on your balance and how much you have to spend.

Pay off credit card costs ASAP. Be aware you can pay off parts of your credit card bill at a time in the initial period after the transaction. This allows you to plan when you can pay it off before interest kicks in.

Use telephone/internet banking. Not only will this save time and effort going in person to a bank you can monitor all your transactions on an ongoing basis and you can bundle your various accounts onto one easy to see screen.

Look for special offers when doing groceries shopping. Many shops now offer special offer sections. Also Retailers must now show price per unit measure so that comparisons are easy.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a discount. If you feel that the retailer may be able to offer a discount just ask them. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Ensure you are properly protected. Be aware of any offers violating your statutory rights that you may end up regretting.

Never under insure your belongings. Insurance is there to help when the unexpected happens and you should be careful that you have sufficient insurance.

When shopping, try to avoid impulse buys. You can avoid this by making a list and not shopping on an empty stomach! This makes your shopping quicker and more efficient.

Register for a loyalty card. When you shop the supermarket will offer you various offers based on what you are not buying at a discount.

If you are worried about your finances discuss it immediately. The Money Advice and Budgeting service have offices all around the country and can help you in managing your finances.

2 Responses to Top Tips for Irish Consumers from Pat Carey, TD

1) Sell off the dodgy voting machines – Zimbabwe might be interested? Use the cash to restore medical cards to the over 70s and get the cancer vaccine for the 12 year olds. selling will save also €700,000 pa storing the useless things

2) Stop the HSE recruiting any more ‘managers’ – 3 vacancies for national directors of HSE in Irish Times today and the money must be so high even HSE is embarrassed to give it in the advert – says salary commensurate with responsibilities of these senior positions.’

3) Reduce civil service mileage and subsistence rates by 50%. they are way too high and provide tax free profit for those who get them.
and review whether the travel to which expenses relate is necessary anyway

4) reduce no of Tds and senators by 50% and reduce pay to national average wage (pro rata for senators).

5) abolish the various allowances(especially their turning up money) for politicians. Country TDs should get public transport costs or civil service mileage rates as reduced above in (3).

6) get rid of external PR people/advisors/consultants to politicians. No useful purpose served by any of these

7) End the gravy train of non executive directors on state boards. Most people on them already have a full time income yet are getting fees and civil service mileage and subsistence rates on top of that. they have a vested interest not to rock any boats or they might not be re-appointed. look at the example of FAS and now the various boards connected to the pork fiasco.End fees, and have expenses reduced as in (3)

8) Scrap the councillor scrappage scheme whereby retiring councillors whether not elected or not standing get big payouts from local authorities who could spend the money on more worthy things. Councils are having to provide for this re local elections 2009.

9) End ‘decentralisation’ of govet offices once and for all (as opposed to it being on hold due to current financial issues) and try to reduce losses on this disaster to date. fire those responsible for this fiasco.

10) Lisbon II should NOT be paid for by the taxpayer – perhaps Bertie could organise a digout to pay for this if it does happen..?

@Frustrated taxpayer – Many thanks for your comment. I don’t think there’s much in there that the normal punter would be against, however given everything that’s there is a Fianna Fail strategy, we’re unlikely to get much of a response from the Minister on it.